Gang-edger



4Sheets--Sheet 1. W'. J. PERKINS.

Gang Edger.

No. 232,754. Patented Sept. 28,1880.

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4-Sheets--Sheet 3. W. J. PERKINS.

Gang Edger.

No. 232,154. a Paten ted Sept. 28,1880.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 4. W. J. PERKINS.

Gang Edger. No. 232,754. Patented Sept. 28, @880,

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UNITED STATES PATENT @rrica.

WILLIS J. PERKINS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

GANG-EDGER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 232,754, dated September 28, 1880.

Application filed December 2, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLis J. PERKINS, of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gang-Edgers and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawin gs, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to gang-edgers.

It consists, first, of mechanism whereby the board to be sawed may automatically raise the pressure-roller; second, of mechanism whereby the board being sawed may automatically raise vertically-adjustable guides which fit in the saw-kerfs; third, of improved mechanism for singly and collectively adj nsting the saws longitudinally on the saw-arbor fourth, of a novel form of feed-roller, whereby the feedstuds may be independently removed and replaced, as desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the gang-edger. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a reverse plan view. Fig. at is a detail view of one of the laterally-movable carriages, with the ways for the vertically adjustable guides dotted in. Fig. 5 is a view of the under side of the carriage, showing the spring which lowers said guides. Fig.6 is a longitudinal section of the feedroll.

The pressure-roller A is journaled in boxes to, which have a sliding movement in vertical guideways b. Upright racks o, secured to said journal-boxes, mesh in pinions cl, secured to a transverse shaft, B. Arms 0, secured to both ends of this shaft, are loosely connected to pivotal levers G, which latter are rigidly connected with transverse rod D. A verticallyswinging roll, E, is supported bydepending arms f, rigidly secured to rod D. As the board to be sawed is fed forward to the saws it engages with and raises this swinging roll, and the intermediate connections raise the pressure-roller a corresponding distance. After the board is sawed and passed out from beneath the pressure-roller the latter falls by its own weight.

Each of the laterally-movable carriages F is provided with avertically-adj ustable guide, f at both extremities. These guides havemovement in vertical ways g, and are respectively provided with a transverse stud, h, which fits in an inclined slot, l, formed in the horizontal slide G. A lever, H, has its lower extremity pivoted to the forward end of this slide, and its upper extremity is adapted to be depressed rearwardly by the weight of the board being sawed. The slide is therefore drawn forward by the lower extremity of the lever, and the inclined slots in the slide engage with the vertically-adjustable guides, so as to raise the latter. A spring, L, has its opposite extremities connected respectively with the slide and its carriage, and is adapted to retract the slide upon release of the engagement of the board with the lever, so as to automatically lower the vertically-adjustable guides.

The forward end of each of the laterally-adjustable carriages is provided with a concave seat, m, in which fits a sleeve, a. This sleeve is rigidly secured to its corresponding saw, and both sleeve and saw have free movement longitudinally on the saw-arbor.

Each of the saws and the vertically-adjustable guides which correspond thereto are adapted to be simultaneously adjusted by the lateral movement of the respective carriage. It is necessary that both extremities of'the latter be moved equal distances and at the same time. Hence each carriage is provided with front and rear sleeves, m, which respectively have sliding movement on transverse rods M. Racks N, secured to said sleeves, mesh in pinionsp, secured to a longitudinal rotary shaft, 1

A second shaft, It, connects this latter shaft with a third shaft, S,the knuckle-joints 1" being such as permit these shafts being located out of line. The two outer shafts S are provided with handles 8, which are adapted to be read-- ily locked to index-wheels T, loosely mounted on said shafts. These index-wheels are provided with small cog-wheels t, rigidly secured thereto, and connected by intermediate idle cog-wheels,o, with the cog-wheelw, rigidly secured on the central one of the three shafts S. When either one of the handles is locked in its corresponding index-wheel the cog-wheel of the latter operates, by means of the intervening idle cog-wheel, to turn the cog-wheel w and the central rotary shaft at the same time and in the same direction that the outer rotary shaft is turned. When both handles are locked to their index-wheels, by operating either handle the three rotary shafts are operated simultaneously and in the same direction. When both handles are unlocked from the handwheels, by turning either one of the latter the central rotary shaft may be turned to the right or the left. When either handle is unlocked from its index-wheel the shaft on which the handle is fitted may be turned singly to the right or the left. Hence either one of the three rotary shafts can be independently operated, or any two of the three shafts can be together operated, or all three of the shafts can be collectively operated.

The index-wheels are provided with figures adapted to show the distance between the saws of the first and second and third rotary shafts. To show the distance between the stationary saw V and the first movable saw, W, a wheel, X, is secured rigidly to the rotary shaft, which adjusts said movable saw. The periphery of wheel X is provided with a spiral groove, :0, in which fits the free end ofa pointer, Y. This pointer consists of bent springmetal, and is adapted to permit its free end to be moved as is necessary by the rotation of the spirally-grooved wheel with which it engages. Index-figures are formed on the periphery of this wheel, so that with the aid of the pointer the exact distance the movable saw is from the stationary saw may be at once seen. The

two outer ones of the three shafts R are placed diagonally, so that their rear extremities may converge toward the longitudinal central portion of the machine.

The feed-roller consists of a cast-iron cylinder, Z, provided with a series of holes, in which the teeth 2 are secured by soft-metal filling or metallic keys, said cylinder being supported on an arbor, Z, adapted to be readily removed from the machine. As any of the teeth become Worn this arbor may be taken from its bearings on the machine and the cylinder be easily removed therefrom, said worn teeth being then driven through the holes into the interior of the cylinder. In this manner, as the feed-teeth become broken or otherwise disabled for use, such teeth may be removed from the feed-roller and new ones be substituted therefor. Hence the roller can be repaired at a small cost.

The saw-arbor A has one of its journals fitted in a journal-box, a, adapted by the removal of the cap I) to permit said journal to be freely lifted from or placed in its box. The other journal of the arbor is fitted in a horizontallypivoted journal-box, 0. Upon removal of cap I) the saw-arbor can be swung on the pivotal journal-box in a transverse vertical plane above the frame of the machine, and the saws can be removed therefrom or placed on the arbor after being sharpened without further trouble.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gang-edger, the combination, with a pressure-roller, of a swinging roll which is raised by the board to be sawed and intermediate connecting mechanism adapted to raise the pressure-roller by the upward movement ofsaid swinging roll, substantially as setforth.

2. In a gang-edger, the combination, with a pressure-roller, upright racks secured to its journal boxes, and pinions meshing in the racks, of a swinging roll adapted to be raised by the board to be sawed, and pivotal levers which connect said roll with the pinions, to simultaneously raise both ends of the pressureroller, substantially as set forth.

3. In a gang-edger, the combination, with a guide which has movement in a vertical Way, of a lever which is operated by the board being sawed and intermediate connecting mechanism adapted thereby to raise said guide, substantially as set forth.

4. In a gang-edger, the combination, with a guide having movement in a vertical way, a horizontal slide which engages with the guide, and a lever which is depressed by the board being sawed, of a spring connected to said slide and adapted to retract it, so as to lower the guide upon release of the lever from the board, substantially as set forth.

5. In a gang-edger, the combination, with a laterally-movable carriage provided with an upright guide and transverse sleeves respectively secured to the carriage, of rods on which the sleeves slide and a longitudinal rotary shaft provided with pinions which mesh in racks secured to said sleeves, substantially as set forth.

6. In a gang-edger, the combination, witha laterally-movable carriage connected with a shifting saw and a pinion-shaft meshing with a rack secured to the carriage, of an actuatingshaft located out ofline with the pinion-shaft, and an intermediate diagonal shaft, connectin g said two shafts by knuckle-joints, substantially as set forth.

7, In a gang-edger, the combination, with laterally-shifting saws and intermediate connecting mechanism, of independent rotary shafts respectively located at different points of the machine, and cog-gearing which connects said shafts together, substantially as set forth.

8. In a gang-edger, the combination, with two laterally-shifting saws and intermediate connecting mechanism, of rotary shafts which respectively operate to shift the saws, one shaft carrying a loose index-wheel adapted to be locked thereto, the other shaft carrying a rigid cog-wheel, which connects by intermediate gear with a cog-wheel secured rigidly to said index-wheel, substantially as set forth.

9. In a gang-edger, the combination, with laterally-shifting saws and intermediate connectin g mechanism, of three rotary shafts re spectively located at different points of the machine, the two outer shafts being provided with loose cog-wheels adapted to be locked thereto, the middle shaft being provided. with a rigid cog-wheel, which connects by interme diate gears with both the loose cog-wheels, substantially as set forth.

10. In a gang-edger, the combination, with a saw-arbor and saws mounted thereon between its journals ends, of a box which journals one end and which is pivoted to swing in a vertical plane, together with a box provided with a removable cap and which journals the opposite arbor end, said parts being adapted, by the removal of the cap, to allow the arbor to be swung on the pivotal box in transverse line above the machine-bed, and the saws to have free sliding movement over the raised journal end, substantially as set forth.

11; In a gang-edger, a feed-roller consisting Witnesses:

HARFORD J. PERKINS, JOHN G. OGoNNoR. 

